Benefits of Chia Seeds: Five Reasons to Incorporate them Into Your Diet

Chia seeds are a super food that can provide many benefits to those who consume them on a regular basis. In fact, the peoples of South America (where chia seeds originate) have known the benefits of consuming chia seeds for hundreds of years, and they were even a staple in Mayan and Aztec diets. Today, they draw the attention of many health food junkies due to the benefits they can provide, as well as the various ways in which they can be used in cooking. While there are numerous benefits of consuming chia seeds, here are the top five reasons to eat them.

1. Great Source of Fiber: Consuming the proper amount of fiber is vital to one’s health, as fiber is associated with lowering cholesterol and regulating bowel function. Chia seeds are an excellent source of fiber, containing 10 grams in only 2 tablespoons, which is about one-third of the recommended daily fiber intake. Eating chia is thusly an easy way to incorporate more fiber into your diet.
2. Rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Chia seeds are rich in unsaturated fats, especially omega-3 fatty acids. In fact, chia seeds are one of the richest plant based sources of omega-3s. Why is consuming omega-3 fatty acids important? Consuming these unsaturated fats can help to reduce cholesterol and can even help to enhance cognitive function.
3. Chia Seeds are Filling: Eating chia seeds helps one to feel full and satisfied after a meal. This helps to cut down on cravings and snacking in between meals. This can help with weight management, and can help to improve one’s overall health as it helps to prevent overindulging in unnecessary food.
4. They are Full of Minerals and Nutrients: Two tablespoons of chia seeds contains roughly 18 percent of the daily recommended intake of calcium, 24 percent for magnesium, and roughly fifty percent of the daily recommended intake of manganese. These nutrients can help to prevent high blood pressure (hypertension), and can help you to maintain a healthy weight by improving your metabolism.
5. Chia Seeds Help with Blood Sugar Regulation: Chia seeds can help those with diabetes by helping to regulate the insulin levels in their body. They do this by helping to decrease abnormally high levels of insulin in the blood.

Chia seeds truly are a super food that can provide many benefits to those who incorporate them into their diet. Contact us to find out about more of the amazing benefits of consuming chia seeds, as well as to find out ways you can incorporate them into your diet.

Tailgate Parties Can Be Fun and Healthy

One of the favorite activities during the many concerts, sporting events and other stadium happenings are tailgate parties.  People love to arrive early in their cars, trucks and mobile homes to begin drinking, eating food and socializing.  It’s a much-loved tradition that only increases in popularity.

Among all the greasy meats cooked on a grill, alcohol and fried food it is also possible to provide something that’s healthy to eat and tastes wonderful.  Whale Tails Tortilla Chips  are good with salsa, guacamole and almost anything that can be used with tortilla chips.  They are also healthy and taste fantastic.

Whale Tail Tortilla Chips  are made from organic blue corn and contain the Mayan seed called Chia.

The many benefits of blue corn is noted in an article from Jennifer Warner titled “Blue Corn Tortilla Packs Healthy Punch” 
"Researchers from the home of the tortilla, Mexico, found blue corn tortillas contain 20% more protein than their white corn counterparts. They also have less starch and a lower glycemic index (GI), which may be good news for dieters and people with diabetes."
The chia seeds found in Whale Tail Tortilla Chips are from South America and filled with polyunsaturated fats such as Omega-3 fatty acids.  They also help lower a person’s cholesterol by providing a high amount of fiber.  Chia seeds are valued for their antioxidants as well as important minerals.  They are gluten free and provide a person with the feeling of being full, which can help individuals who overeat.

Tailgate parties no longer need to be a time of unhealthy eating.  When Whale Tail Tortilla Chips are provided, it can be a time of fun as well as nutritious food.

Contact Whale Tail Tortilla Chips and get some for your next tailgating experience or just to enjoy some healthy food that happens to be delicious.

Just Ask The Aztecs About The Benefits Of Chia Seeds

Just Ask The Aztecs About The Benefits Of Chia Seeds

Have you heard the stories about the "running people" of the Copper Canyons in Mexico?  It has been said that they are perhaps the finest long distance runners on earth.  The stories tell of 100 to 300 mile runs that the people do with ease.  You can just imagine the intense physical conditioning that must take place to be able to run like that!

The Tarahumara people of Mexico begin that conditioning at a very young age with the goal to be becoming runners for life, and along with a simple diet, the people have been known to live to 100 years old.  They also rarely suffer from disease and illnesses like we do in the western world.  Main staples of their diet were chia seeds and pinole.  Pinole was actually a type of roasted corn, often mixed with sugar, which is an excellent food for staving off hunger. Super concentrated and super nutritious, it is a food that will sustain you for weeks.

The mighty chia seed comes from a member of the mint family that thrives in the desert.  These seeds, along with the pinole are true "super foods" and chia offers twice the protein of any other seeds, like flax seeds for instance. They are also a rich source of antioxidants. 

Dr. Andrew Weil's website tells us that: 

"Chia is very rich in omega-3 fatty acids, even more so than flax seeds. And it has another advantage over flax: chia is so rich in antioxidants that the seeds don't deteriorate and can be stored for long periods without becoming rancid. And, unlike flax, they do not have to be ground to make their nutrients available to the body. Chia seeds also provide fiber (25 grams give you 6.9 grams of fiber) as well as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, molybdenum, niacin, and zinc."

The Aztec peoples of Mexico ate chia seeds as a staple of their diets as the plant was grown all over Mexico as far back as 1500 BC.  The chia seed helped maintain their powerful military and was known as the ultimate survival food.  They also used chia for medicine and it was included in religious ceremonies as an offering to the gods.  When the Spanish Conquistadors arrived they made note of the importance of this food in the people's diets and they promptly decided to do whatever they could to remove it from the people's lives.

Today, we know that the mighty chia is one of the most nutritious foods on the planet.  We also know that it can help us reduce our risk of heart disease and even help us avoid the onset of Type 2 Diabetes. Studies have shown that eating chia "improves major and emerging cardiovascular risk factors".

When we learned about all the health benefits of eating chia seeds, we just had to find a way to include them in our snacks.  Along came the Organic, Blue Corn Tor"chia" chip which has been infused with the mighty chia seed.

Contact us and we will let you know where you can grab a bag today!

Keep the Fun in Back to School Healthy Snacks

Are your kids tired of the same old back to school healthy snacks? If your brood is begging for processed foods, techno-colored gelatin snack cups, and the other "cool" snacks that their friends have, it may be time to shake things up a bit. Luckily, you don't have to sacrifice your family's values or your children's health to do so. Instead, you can add a fun new snack to their lunchboxes.
Our unique tortilla chips have a fun whale's tail shape that'll encourage your kids to dive in again and again. Add them to your teen's lunch bag with a cup of salsa, serve them to your kids as nachos for an after school snack, or just keep them on hand for between meal munching.
Whale's tails are healthy, GMO free, and taste great. You'll love them because they're good for you, your kids will love them because of their unique shape and fun crunch. When you add whale tails chips to your snacking routine, you're making a healthy choice that everyone can get behind. Our chips have chia seed for an added Omega-3 boost, providing your children with the boost their developing brains need to get through their school day.
If you're tired of plain tortilla chips, opt for one of our fun flavors instead. We offer whale tails in three varieties -- blue corn, lightly salted original, and Hawaiian Barbeque. Kids and adults alike love them, so be sure to try all three!

If you'd like to learn more about these unique new chips, contact us today.

The Keys to Healthy Vending Machine Snacking

Vending machines aren't the first thing that people think of when someone says health food, but just because you're headed to the breakroom for a mid-afternoon snack doesn't mean you can't beat the munchies and nourish your body at the same time.

The key to a healthy vending machine experience is forethought. Try to find something that is low (or moderate) in calorie count, but still filling.
Here are a few tips to keep your trip to the vending machine from being a diet disaster.

Fiber keeps you full, and can help to keep the glycemic index down to boot, so look for whole grain options.

Protein is another gut-pleaser. Like fiber, it will keep you full longer, so you can avoid additional trips to the vending machine, or worse, a quick stop at a fast food restaurant on the way home. Look for seeds and nuts for a quick protein boost in a low-cholesterol package.

Beware of empty calories. Sugar-laden candy and processed baked goods can leave you hungry for more even after you've consumed as much as 300 calories! No nutritional value here. Look for something that not only has some fiber to keep you full, but also a dose of the good stuff. How about our organic blue corn ships infused with chia? They're packed with omega-3, essential amino acits, and calcium. There's nothing empty about this snack!

Avoid sodium traps. Processed foods account for most o f our sodium consumption. Skip the salty potato chips and the leathery, sodium-riddled beef jerkey. Fortunately, the gourmet Hawaiian sea salt that we use on our chips is astonishingly low in sodium content.

Bottom line: take just a minute to consider your options when you're standing in front of the vending machine. With the right snack choice, the afternoon craving can be conquered!

Have a healthy vending machine story? Let us know all about it.

The Benefits of Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are not just for chia pets anymore. This ancient Mayan seed is the new super food, and a key ingredient in our Blue Tor"chia" Chips. So what are the benefits of chia seeds? These tiny seeds pack a big nutritional punch. Here are some of the ways they work their health magic:

Add healthy Omega-3 oil to your diet

Chia seeds are the richest plant-source of this healthy oil. We love the ocean, and everything that lives in it. Chia seeds are a way to get this essential oil without harming any of the ocean's residents. In fact, chia seeds contain even more Omega-3 than salmon. This oil is important in maintaining heart and cholesterol health, and has even been targeted as a weight-loss helper.

Feel more energized all day long

Chia is also one of nature's highest plant-based sources of complete protein. Usually protein from other plant-based sources is incomplete, meaning you have to balance it with protein from other sources to get the full effect. But with chia seeds, it's protein is complete enough to give you steady energy all day long.

Get the calcium and fiber your body needs

Many Americans do not get enough calcium. Chia seeds deliver up to five times more calcium than milk! Snacking on a chip with chia seeds can actually contribute to keeping your bones strong and healthy. Bonus! Chia seeds also deliver 42% of your daily recommended dose of fiber per ounce. Fiber is vital for all aspects of health, and is especially key for weight loss and digestion. And it's another one of those things that we just don't get enough of. 

And do you know what's really incredible about chia seeds? You get all of these health benefits and great flavor. Chia seeds actually enhance the natural flavors of whatever item they are used in. So they give our organic blue chips an extra nutty and delicious flavor.

To find out more about how you can snack your way to health, please feel free to contact us.

Aloha and get the guacamole!

Dude! I thought the tortilla chip innovation nation was over a long time ago.  I mean how can genius be duplicated in the 21St Century?  I didn't know I was tired of almost munching on my fingers every time we go to that one chick's house for parties, until I saw these chips.  Makes me want to go down to the Mavericks and party hearty.  And eat chips.

Now just talking about it makes me want to grub on some of those babys! Anyway, can you believe that now I have to watch my cholesterol! These are different, made with chia seeds, full of Omega 3"s whatever that is,  and your bro Irving can eat them because they are kosher.

Hawaiian salt, for sure does that even really exist?  Organic (like me!!), ya called Alaea salt. Well whatever, it's still really great with Pabst!  Dude, what day is it, hey wanna go surfing? So you have to watch your gluten? Why? You're only 40!  Don't old people have to quit gluten?  Anyway what IS gluten?  And why can't you eat it?

That old lady that works in the corner store told me this Alaea salt is good for ya.  She said she read in www.whaletaleschips.comThat..."Alaea is unique to the Hawaiian Islands and legendary for being low in sodium content , 3% to be exact , and high in essential trace minerals that our bodies require. Alaea is sun dried, never processed, and imparts the rich earthy taste of corn that has been roasted “Island Style” over an open flame."

Roasted over an open flame? Sounds like a Luau to me, Jack.  I can get so much dip on these chips it's crazy. Shaped like the back end of your surf board, no lie!  If Toddzilla wants some for his surf shop he should contac t us.  Aloha and get the guacamole!

Tummy Growling? Look for Healthy Vending Options

I am sure you have been there. You have spent the day surfing or on the beach with your family. All the snacks were eaten on the beach, or perhaps they were eaten in the car on the way to your next destination. You are trying to eat as healthy as possible, but your schedule sometimes gets tight, which causes you to eat on the run occasionally. Whether you are at work on an empty stomach or at the hospital visiting a loved one, you will find healthy vending options in your nearest snack machines.

One of those healthy vending options is Whale Tail's Blue Corn Tortilla Chips infused with Chia. Chia seed is a super food that contains omega-3 fatty acids, and omega-3's are known to lower cholesterol. 

They are also a good source of fiber, protein, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous. For hundreds of years, this tiny seed was used by the Aztecs as their main energy source. Plant Sources of Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Cleveland Clinic

Not only is it healthy to eat our chips, it is incredibly fun too. The tortilla chips are shaped like a whale's tail. 

Having the Chia infused into the Corn Chips is not the only reason that the chips are healthy for you. All varieties of Whales Tail's Chips are made with Organic Corn that is grown in the USA. Our chips are naturally gluten free. They do not contain any genetically modified organisms or Trans Fat, and they are kosher.

Next time your tummy is growling, and you are far from a carrot stick but near a vending machine, look for our organic tortilla chips. We have 3 varieties.

• Original Yellow Corn Chips with “Alaea” Red Gourmet Hawaiian Sea Salt
• Hawaiian Barbeque Flavor Chip
• Blue Tor"Chia" Chips

Contact us if you have any questions, or to find a distributor near you.

The Many Benefits of Chia Seeds

You might have seen our Organic Blue Corn chips, which advertise that they are infused with chia seeds and you may have found yourself wondering, "So?"  If that's gone through your head, allow us to take a minute to talk about the benefits of chia seeds.  Yes, we're dedicating a whole blog to chia seeds, because they are just that cool.

Chia seeds are considered a superfood, which is to say it is a food that contains a high amount of nutrition per bite.  Chia seeds are taken from a desert plant, Salvia hispanica, which is a member of the mint family.  Mainly grown in southern Mexico, it is said that Indians used the seed for energy and substance.  They are flavorless on their own and magnify the flavors they are mixed with, which means you get the benefit without any weird tastes.

So what can the seed do for you?  

• Help you lose weight.  If you were to take some chia seeds and put them in a glass of water and return in about an hour, the water would become gelatinous because of all the soluble fiber in the seed.  This gelatin property helps you feel fuller longer.  In addition, it prevents calories from being absorbed since the gel provides a coating and prevents caloric absorption.
• Chia seeds are high in calcium.  In fact, they have more calcium than whole milk.
• Chia seeds have tons of anti-oxidant properties.  The same thing you find in blueberries and exotic fruits.  Anti-oxidants help you stay younger longer.  That's why chia seeds are capable of staying fresh for so long at room temperature without preservatives.  You can leave them on the counter for two years and they'll still remain fresh and ready to eat.
• Chia seeds have omega-3.  They have more omega-3 than salmon!  Omega-3 helps heart disease and other inflammatory causing problems, like arthritis.  In addition, they help to reduce blood pressure.
• Chia seeds give you energy.  Because they contain complete protein, and balance that with other vitamins and minerals, you'll have more energy that is long lasting.

There is an abundance of ways to include chia seeds in your diet; we've found just one tasty way by including it in our Organic Blue Corn Whale Tails!

For more health benefits of our unique tortilla chips, please contact us today!

3 Healthy Lunch Ideas for Gluten Free Kids

Coming up with new ideas for lunch every day while trying to maintain a gluten free diet for your child can be a daunting task; just when you think you’ve cracked the code, they get bored. Their tastes change, or they discover “Lunchables” in the grocery store and refuse to discuss a rice cracker and vegan cheese option.
Here are 3 complete lunch plans that will spark your kid’s appetite for healthy, gluten free food.

1. Oceans of Lunch; Hawaiian BBQ Whale tail chips with a build it yourself wrap. Try putting a favorite lunchmeat, small slices of cheese, a gluten free wrap cut in half, and raw vegetables sliced thin in a container so your child can build their own lunch. Include a small container of slices of starfruit.
2. Dip It; Many kids will try a new vegetable if it’s accompanied by a favorite dip. Try broccoli cut up so it looks like little trees and washed and peeled carrots cut in half lengthwise so they are still very long. Cut an apple off of the core, and then carefully reassemble it. Hold it together with one hand and wrap a rubber band around the thickest part of the apple. It looks whole, now. But the cut sides of the apple won’t turn brown. Include a small container of fruit dip. Don’t forget the Blue Corn Whale tail chips and a small container of salsa!
3. Fiesta on Friday; A soft gluten free taco shell, Mexican rice, your meat of choice (or omit the meat for a vegetarian  option), a small container of shredded cheese, lettuce, salsa are all you need to provide a fun Friday lunch. Add Original Whale Tail chips and expect an empty lunchbox at the end of the day!  

For extra credit, slip a joke in your child’s lunch. Here’s a freebie:
What time is it when a whale runs into your boat?
Time to get a new boat!
If you have questions about our gluten free products, please contact us.

Whale Tails Tortilla Chips Continues it's California Migration

Geyser Beverage in Livermore California will now distribute Whale Tails Tortilla Chips unique line of premuim organic, gluten free, non-gmo, tortlla chips to Northern California retailers looking for a healthy snack alternative.

SAN DIEGO, June 24, 2012 -Whale Tails Tortilla Chips, a socially responsible and artisan tortilla chip company, today announced the company has secured distribution with the Geyser Beverage Co, a leading distributor in Northern California. Distribution through Geyser beverage will place Whale Tails Tortilla Chips on the shelves of grocery and natural foods retailers in the region.

"Northern California is an important market for Whale Tails Tortilla Chips and we're excited to have Geyser Beverage as part our rapidly growing distribution network," said Terry Kraszewski , CEO, Whale Tails Tortilla Chips. "Retailers served by Geyser Beverage are wonderful additions to our migration as we make Whale Tails Tortilla Chips readily available to healthy, organic, gluten free, snack lovers statewide."

Broader distribution in this region will build on the momentum that was established when Whale Tails Tortilla Chips qualified as a premium seller with Buyer's Best Friend of San Francisco. Buyers Best Friend (www.bbfdirect.com) is the world’s largest and fastest growing wholesale catalog of specialty products. Buyer's Best Friend helps manufacturers increase sales, and helping buyers find amazing up-and-coming brands while saving both time and money.

The highly recognizable Whale Tail chip bags are a collaboration with the world-renowned marine artist and environmentalist, Wyland. Wyland has done more than any other artist to raise awareness of the beauty of life on our blue planet. The non profit Wyland Foundation is actively engaged in teaching millions of students around the country about the importance of conserving our oceans, river, lakes, streams, and wetlands. Both Whale Tails and Wyland hold fast to a simple goal of promoting, protecting, and preserving the world’s ocean, waterways, and marine life. This commitment to ocean life has been integral to both the product and the mission of Whale Tails Tortilla Chips since our inception. In order to pursue this shared aim, Whale Tails Tortilla Chips donate 10 percent from the new bags of chips to the Wyland foundation. That’s the key to making a difference. Steve Creech, the vice president of Wyland Worldwide says that the revenue raised from the chips sales will go towards their “clean water mobile learning center.” This program travels to schools across the nation to educate children about “urban runoff, habitat destruction and the importance of collaboratively managing water as a shared resource.”

Whale Tails Tortilla Chips currently offers three dangerously flavors of QAI certified organic, kosher, non gmo, gluten free tortilla chips.

Original Flavor Yellow Organic Corn with “Alaea” Red Gourmet Hawaiian Sea Salt. Alaea is unique to the Hawaiian Islands and legendary for being low in sodium content , 3% to be exact , and high in essential trace minerals that our bodies require.Alaea is sun dried, never processed, and imparts the rich earthy taste of corn that has been roasted“Island Style” over an open flame. This original flavor with guacamole is absolutely amazing!!

Blue Corn w/ Chia Seeds Organic Blue Corn infused with Chia. By adding a Blue“Torchia” chip to the flavor lineup, Whale Tails Tortilla Chips takes healthy snacking to a whole new level.Infusing organic blue corn with the rediscovered ancient Mayan super seed Chia, adds a healthy punch and a wonderful nut like flavor to a delicious deep-blue organic corn chip. Blue Corn Chia is the best healthy snack for a gluten-free casein-free diet. The beauty of blue corn is the amount of antioxidants it contains. The Anthocyanin in the chips help with anti inflammatory and connective tissue regeneration. Chia seeds are high in fiber, have twice the protein of any other seed or grain, five times the calcium of milk, and contain boron which is trace mineral that helps transfer calcium into your bones, as well as omega 3 and omega 6 essential oils.

Hawaiian Barbeque. Savory and sweetened with Sun ripened mango. This organic chip will have your taste buds standing up and doing a “hula ‘ The savory island barbeque flavor with a trace of tropical sun-ripened mango and a splash of lime, creates just the right amount of zest to satisfy the palette." Our customers have told us our Hawaiian BBQ chip is ...down right addicting. The best BBQ Chip ever” said Ric Kraszewski VP of Sales

All three flavors of Whale Tails Tortilla Chips are now available through Geyser Beverage in both 9oz and 1.5 oz bags.

About Whale Tails Tortilla Chips : Started in 2007 Whale Tails Tortilla Chips is becoming America's fastest growing eco-friendly snack product Whale Tails Tortilla Chips was recognized by the California State Legislators as a 2012 Outstanding Business for contributions to the community and for bringing a human element to the state's economic growth. Whale Tails Tortilla Chips is also a Whole Foods Market Local Producer Loan recipient for meeting the required high standards of business practices while creating and distributing the most innovative new brand of organic tortilla chips on the market today. Whale Tails Tortilla Chips are found in Whole Foods Markets in the Southern California region. More information at : www.whaletailschips.com

About Geyser Beverage Company: Geyser Beverage is located in Livermore California is the East Bay Red Bull Distributor and is is known for distributing only the finest products. Geyser has brought many hot new and up and coming brands to market.

For sales inquiries, please contact (925) 960-0125